Nike Kobe 4 Protro

During her life, Gianna Bryant had a profound impact on the people around her, particularly those she played with and against on the basketball court. Kobe thought of her as a female version of him and imbued her with his trademark grit and determination, which came across during her time playing for Harbor Day School, her father’s Mamba Sports Academy and the Amateur Athletic Union. Training hard just like her father, she was already making a name for herself and was set to join the UConn Huskies basketball team at the University of Connecticut before moving on to a career in the WNBA. On May 1st, 2023, which would have been her 17th birthday, Nike released a Kobe 4 Protro to celebrate her life and the effect she had on the game. Known as Mambacita – the sporting nickname she was given as a reference to her father’s Black Mamba moniker – the shoe also conveys an empowering message to young women to pursue their sporting dreams, just like Gigi did.

The captivating black and white colour combination gracing this Kobe 4 Protro emulates the kit worn by Gianna Bryant during her time with the Amateur Athletic Union basketball team as an aspiring WNBA athlete. White is the main colour used on the synthetic leather upper, which features a delicate honeycomb texture across its surface, while bold black swooshes accent the flanks. The sole unit also blends these two contrasting tones, before a collection of commemorative details honour the life of Kobe Bryant’s second daughter. The gingham pattern on the heel and insole represents the flannel shirts she used to wrap around her waist, and the red swoosh on the outsole matches the hairbow she would wear during school photos. One of her nicknames, Gigi, has been embroidered into the heel in black thread and also appears on the lace tips, while another, Mambacita, features as part of a special heart-shaped emblem printed onto the insole. At its centre, alongside the Metallic Gold Mambacita text, is a winged “2” with a halo that represents Gianna’s jersey number, which was retired as a mark of respect by Harbor Day School in 2020. The number appears again in gold just beside her father’s signature on the white heel counter, while Kobe’s ‘The Sheath’ logo keeps its familiar place on the tongue in the same shimmering tone. Ultimately, this powerful Kobe 4 sneaker is a fitting tribute to Gianna Bryant as well as the positive impact she had on basketball and the wider community.